Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money • Hacker News Board

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#731

Post by kylehotchkiss » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:19 PM UTC

throwaway787544 wrote: post #717

I use a double headed razor, and this article is ridiculous. I don't use it because it's cheaper or works better, I use it because I rarely shave and one pack of blades has lasted me years . But it's so problematic. It does not shave nearly as well as a modern multi-razor disposable, it's prone to cutting me if I'm not careful, and takes more time. You can't bring the blades on airplanes. It's clear that you actually…

I spent $80 on my branded safety razor 10 years ago. Maybe bought 3 packs of blades. The disposable ones were really painful for me and the safety razor less so. The only shaving expense is really shaving cream, which my skin is very choosy about (the EOS shea butter works best for me these days).

Not being able to travel with safety razor on plane is the annoying part. Also I accidentally cut my finger on a blade once and had to get stitches. That might have made up for the cost of not buying disposable.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#732

Post by mgraczyk » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:21 PM UTC

jokethrowaway wrote: post #727

mgraczyk wrote: post #690

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just let it heat up before using it No lol that's the whole point > without the carcinogens. I'll take that trade, I'm not going to spend my 30s sitting around waiting for pans to heat up because there's some very small probability a pan will harm me.

I don't know what you're talking about. I use cast iron pan because everything I cook comes out 10 times better on a cast iron pan. You can properly sear meat on them. Things don't get cooked on the outside and stay raw on the inside. I thought I was shit at cooking before getting a cast iron pan - I just had the wrong tools. I'm definitely not a chef and I don't cook for pleasure, I just throw chicken, steaks, eggs…

Easy test. If I can't put the pan in the dishwasher, then it's not for me or people like me. You don't have to spend energy trying to convince us.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#733

Post by kylehotchkiss » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:22 PM UTC

jchw wrote: post #61

Add dishwasher pods to the list. It’s literally just smoke and mirrors for nearly the same formula as powder, only less of it per package. All those fancy colors? It’s die. It’s the same formula across the entire pod. So… Yep: more cost, more waste, and it has some reasonable downsides. For “convenience,” since I guess deciding how much to put into the tray is just too much work. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll6-eGD…

Cascade platinum is the only thing that works for me yet only comes in pod form. Buying a 90 pack from Costco improved the economics of having to use them however.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#734

Post by [deleted] » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:22 PM UTC

mgraczyk wrote: post #690

jimmaswell wrote: post #684

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cast iron becomes very low maintenance after the seasoning is started. I don't even usually wash mine. Everything slides right off at the end. Just let it heat up before using it, use a moderately high heat but not too high, and it's a nonstick pan without the carcinogens.

> Just let it heat up before using it No lol that's the whole point > without the carcinogens. I'll take that trade, I'm not going to spend my 30s sitting around waiting for pans to heat up because there's some very small probability a pan will harm me.

[deleted]

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#735

Post by kylehotchkiss » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:23 PM UTC

Tao332 wrote: post #500

krallja wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I watched this video and was very excited to try out the powder, since I’ve just been using the pods they sell at Costco for my entire adult life. But there are Problems. 1. You can’t find powder anywhere. Not a single grocery store near me sells it. Gel, sure. Pods, sure. Powder, not even Wal-mart had it, and they have everything. I finally found a faded and dented box at an Ace Hardware, where I wasn’t even looking…

It's also easy to tell how many pods/loads you have left. Switched to Finish pods after Cascade powder stopped working for me. They took out the phosphorus or whatever apocalyptic chemical du jour it was. Things are almost as clean.

Didn’t they take the phosphorus out of everything due to algae overgrowth or something?

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#736

Post by jokethrowaway » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:23 PM UTC

PaulKeeble wrote: post #648

ericmay wrote: post #604

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yea... it was unfortunate that so many people focused on that instead of the general problem and now we are barreling toward a very bad outcome. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what wealthy people do - they're going to be just fine regardless of what the rest of us do, except that if we kick and scream about their big houses and refuse to do anything we just wind up inheriting the problem and they're still right where…

Greta Thunberg the way she travels to the conferences is admirable, she genuinely lives what she is talking about and it is a stark contrast to every single politician that turns up to a climate change conference with a giant team in a plane and lives extravagant lives. Its not about the complete abolition of everything its about the hypocrisy of being one of the biggest polluters in a country let alone the world whi…

Not sure if it's sarcasm? Greta's travels are famous for looking eco friendly while not being so: https://oilprice.com/The-Environment/Global-Warming/Greta-Th...

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#737

Post by tasuki » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:24 PM UTC

mgraczyk wrote: post #680

I appreciate the writing style, but this article is shockingly naive to me. Convenient consumer products tend to sell better than less convenient ones, even if the product is worse. That's the entire story. People have finite time, so when they receive more income they will tend to spend it to reduce the time they spend doing things that they don't care about. I for one hate spending time doing all the things that th…

> I don't like filling bags with tea, so I buy tea bags that are pre-filled

Uh, that's not how loose leaf tea is used...

Usually one would use a strainer or a gaiwan. Your point still stands, tea bags are less hassle, you just won't get to drink fine oolong or puerh. I don't mind cleaning the gaiwan - taking out the leaves takes a couple seconds.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#738

Post by jjulius » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:26 PM UTC

tasuki wrote: post #737

mgraczyk wrote: post #680

I appreciate the writing style, but this article is shockingly naive to me. Convenient consumer products tend to sell better than less convenient ones, even if the product is worse. That's the entire story. People have finite time, so when they receive more income they will tend to spend it to reduce the time they spend doing things that they don't care about. I for one hate spending time doing all the things that th…

> I don't like filling bags with tea, so I buy tea bags that are pre-filled Uh, that's not how loose leaf tea is used... Usually one would use a strainer or a gaiwan. Your point still stands, tea bags are less hassle, you just won't get to drink fine oolong or puerh. I don't mind cleaning the gaiwan - taking out the leaves takes a couple seconds.

Right - putting my loose leaf into a strainer or a gaiwan, and then emptying either of them, takes nearly no longer than grabbing my tea bag, opening it and dropping it into a cup.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#739

Post by betwixthewires » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:26 PM UTC

autoexec wrote: post #720

betwixthewires wrote: post #629

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are. You don't have to buy any of it.

Part of the point of this article is that more economical and environmentally friendly alternatives have been made harder for consumers to find. There's nothing wrong with shaving or drinking tea, yet when we go down to the shops to get the things we need, all our choices are limited to plastic disposable razors and pre-filled plastic tea bags. We don't always have the choice to vote with our wallets because the alte…

Yes, people are being steered towards behaviors that are more profitable for manufacturers and away from behaviors that are better for themselves.

And the way to stop it is to stop buying that stuff. Stores get pressured to stock things, and they can only justify it if it gets bought. If a store doesn't stock the things you want, don't buy things from that store except the things it does have that you do want. They will make the alternatives equally accessible when we demonstrate that we can go without what they have on offer. We always have a choice, always.

Re: Shaving is an example of how consumer products extract more money

#740

Post by kylehotchkiss » Sat, May 07, 2022, 7:27 PM UTC

shahmeern wrote: post #33

schroeding wrote: post #3

There is maybe another reason why cartridge razors are standard now, apart from the lower upfront cost: They are foolproof. It's more or less impossible to hurt yourself with it. On the other hand, it's absolutly possible to cut yourself with a double edge / safety razor, as you have to handle a razor blade and you can scratch yourself quite badly if you don't hold it at the right angle. But IMO, as with many of the…

Huge fan of safety razors. At least for me, razors with multiple blades would tug on my hair too much and cause ingrown hairs often (I think those two are casual) Plus, nothing wakes you up in morning like potentially cutting yourself

Safety razors are so sharp it’s hard to feel when you’re cutting yourself - I get little spots sometimes and see them more than feel them. Weirdly the biggest factor between getting cut shaving and not for me is how foggy the mirror is. I never get cut when the mirror is clear.